In Twelfth Night, characters wrestle with appearances—how others view their identities based on their bodies, social station, or attire. Choose one character from the play and discuss the rewardsanddangers that the character faces when his/her external self does not reflect his/her real identity. Then relate this issue with appearances and identity to a main theme and the resolution of the play. Support your argument using ample quotations from the primary sources (the play) and one secondary resource (an article you locate on our library database). Keep in mind that you must read, understand, and apply what you have learned from the secondary source to your analysis. Simply dropping in a quote from an outside sources will not be enough.
All papers must be word-processed. Double space and use a 12-point standard font. Margins should be 1 inch all the way around the page.
You will use MLA-style documentation in all papers. Every paper will have a Works Cited and will use parenthetical, in-text citations. You must document all secondary sources as well as primary sources. Your textbook contains information about MLA style; or, you can ask me or the librarians for assistance.
See the Writing Guides for step-by-step instructions on development of the essay.
Answer preview
At the end of the play, the people around Viola, including the duke and Olivia, know her true identity. Despite having a fear of losing her life and trust, her loyalty to the duke saves the situation. Lewis (IV, 6) informs, “The self must be honestly exposed to survive; Viola must reveal her inner self to become fully human.” In this case, Viola cannot keep hiding her real identity since that is the only way she can manage to tell Orsino her genuine feelings (Shakespeare, Act V, Scene I, pg. 109). While in disguise, she can only express her feelings to self, but in her actual identity, Viola can convince those around her physically about her emotions. As such, Viola’s actions of unveiling her identify, according to Lewis, portray good folly, which does not only depict romantic love but enhances goodwill.
